Tough times for Dowsett ahead of California

Tough times for Dowsett ahead of CaliforniaTeam Sky’s Alex Dowsett said his preparations for the Tour of California, which begins on Sunday, couldn’t have been much worse.

The young Brit last raced in the Castilla y Leon in mid-April, but had to miss several days training after injuring his knee while riding his time trial bike back on British soil.

“I was out on the road and the chain came off,” Dowsett told Cycling Weekly. “I banged my knee on my armrest, and over the next day or so the pain became worse.

“I went to have x-rays done, and they showed I had bruised the bone, and I was told to rest.”

He added “California is a tough race, and last week I began to panic that I hadn’t done enough to prepare.”

Having ridden the Farnham RC 10 last Saturday, Dowsett flew to the sunshine state at the start of the week and has trained alongside his British Sky team-mates Ben Swift, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard and Jeremy Hunt in and around California.

Dowsett earlier this year in the Criterium International time trial

Online video reveals Lincoln GP results wrong The result of last Sunday’s Lincoln GP was altered this week after footage captured by a team’s cameraman showed the original result to be wrong.

However, the video, which was captured by a journalist making a marketing video for Rapha-Condor-Sharp, clearly showed Dempster crossing the line before Holohan.

The video was posted online and disseminated through Twitter. Rapha-Condor-Sharp team manager John Herety alerted Lincoln GP organisers to the video, and the result was officially changed.

The result alteration is the first time that social media has been used to hold cycling officials to account.

The video in question was removed on Tuesday at the request of organisers.

“Watch out for Joe Perrett”, Twenty3c-Orbea manager saysTwenty3c-Orbea team manager Stephen Charles has revealed that he expects big things from U23 rider Joe Perrett this season.

Perrett, the 2009 European Junior Time Trial Champion who rides for the Twenty3c-Orbea U23 team, has been laid out with a lengthy knee injury and only re-started training in April.

And his team manager expects some top results from him when he’s back to form.

“Joe’s only half-way back to full fitness,” he told Cycling Weekly. “But he got a top 20 finish at the Lincoln GP and bridge strongly to one of the front groups. He’s not a great sprinter, but when he’s back to full form he should do really well.”

Perrett was the British Junior Time Trial Champion last year, and, apart from riding strongly at Lincoln, also picked up a podium at the Circuit of Ramsey road race on May 1.

Perrett competes in the 2010 European Time Trial Championships

Four extra guest teams announced for Tour SeriesThe Tour Series has announced the rounds in which its four guest teams will join the ten others contesting the races.

Team Corley Cycles, Team Herbalife Wheelers and Felt Colbournes were given the wildcard entry to compete when the team selection was made in March, and they have been joined late on by Team Qoroz.

These teams will race in a selection of the series’ events each, but will not score points for their placings.

Team Qoroz will be the first guest team to take part, at the series’ second round in Aberystwyth on May 26.

Team Corley Cycles will be present at the Peterborough and Colchester rounds on May 31 and June 2.

Herbalife Wheelers will race in the Stoke-on-Trent and Oldham fifth and sixth rounds on June 7 and June 9 respectively.

Felt Colbournes Team will be present at the series’ final two rounds at Woking on June 14 and Canary Wharf on June 16.

The guest inclusion of Team Corley Cycles follows their presence in the last two years of the series proper. Cycling Weekly reported their omission in March, with team leader Simon Gaywood describing himself as “gutted”.

Obree to wave off the Etape CaledoniaGraeme Obree will be on the startline to open this weekend’s Etape Caledonia (May 15), the 81-mile challenge that is run over closed roads in Highland Perthshire.

Former hour record holder Obree will wave the riders off on Sunday morning, but he will also be registered as the formal witness for the nuptials of Rick Millin and Jo Louden, two fundraisers who are getting married before the start of the event.

The Etape was Britain’s first closed-road sportive, and raises money for the Macmillian Cancer Support charity.

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